Almost
by RosePhyre
Summary: She was almost there, but not quite. SASUXSAKU.ONESHOT.PLEASE R&R.


_So, here's another SasuxSaku oneshot. I really should start writing more stories…but I can't seem to get any ideas. Any requests? I really need to get rid of my writer's block! Please review!_

_STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY_

* * *

ALMOST

"Are you done yet?" Sasuke's voice is impatient as he waits.

"Almost," says Sakura, throwing her last kunai at the dummy.

Her aim is nowhere as good as Tenten's, but it's passable. At the very least, she could mould the chakra around the weapons to give it more control and accuracy. Sighing, she brushed back her long hair and turned around, hoping that Sasuke would still be waiting. Unfortunately, he had already disappeared, and she was stuck with Naruto. Not that Naruto was bad company per se, but she would always choose Sasuke over him.

Naruto peeks at his teammate's dejected face and frowns. He knew that Sasuke was just being his antisocial self, and that someday Sakura would get used to it, but it still hurt to see her wear her disappointment so openly. He grabs her hand and pulls her away in the direction of his favourite ramen stand.

* * *

"Are you done yet?" Sasuke's voice is impatient as he waits.

"Almost," says Sakura, gritting her teeth in anticipation.

She is double checking her weapon cache; it wouldn't do to run out of arsenal when they were in the Forest of Death. She knew that she would have to stay out of the way when Sasuke and Naruto fought, but that didn't mean that she would be completely useless. She could sense a cold feeling settling into her bones, warning her that something big was going to happen. And her instinct was never wrong.

She punches the air and shouted her usual battle cry, hoping that everything would be alright. After all, they were Team 7, the team that would be the talk of the town in a few years. A forest was nothing to them, even if it was called the Forest of Death. She looks for her teammates to realize that they had already started without her. Pumping chakra into her feet, she follows quickly. She wasn't going to be forgotten again.

* * *

"Are you done yet?" Sasuke's voice is impatient as he waits.

"Almost," says Sakura, her eyes focusing on the knife as it slowly peels the apple.

She knows that he wouldn't eat them; Sasuke barely ate, and when he did, it was always tomatoes. Unfortunately, she couldn't get any, so she supposed that apples would have to do. It made her feel a bit inadequate. She couldn't even do that much for him. With a new resolve, she vows to start growing tomatoes at home so that she could give them to him.

Smiling slightly, she hands him the plate. The apple slices are arranged neatly, with all traces of peel cut off. He doesn't eat them of course. He waits for her to leave, wanting to spend his time alone. He doesn't understand her and she doesn't understand him, so loneliness is the only thing that both of them have. He knocks the plate to the ground in his hurry to challenge Naruto, and leaves Sakura behind in the hospital room.

* * *

"Are you done yet?" Sasuke's voice is impatient as he waits.

"Almost," says Sakura, tears running down her face.

She finally confesses her love for him in the middle of the lonely road. He doesn't even react, and gives no indication that he hears her. She supposes that he probably heard her, but he didn't listen to what she was saying. His mind was already on other things; occupied with snakes and elder brothers. She is losing him to his revenge, and there is nothing she can do for him.

She offers him her heart, her body and her soul, but nothing she has is valuable enough for him. In his eyes, the only thing in this world worth having was his sibling's corpse. Not wanting to waste time, he jabs Sakura in the neck, and disappears in an instant. Sakura is left on the bench with only one word to offer her comfort.

* * *

"Are you done yet?" Sasuke's voice is impatient as he waits.

"Almost," says Sakura, putting on her leather gloves.

She cracks her knuckles as she considers his monstrous form. She knew the rumours were true about Orochimaru and Sasuke, but she didn't realize it was this bad. The curse seal had grown rapidly, giving Sasuke power in exchange for humanity. It was a dear price to pay, but the boy's mind was so far gone that he would do anything. Sakura couldn't recognize him anymore, just as she couldn't recognize Naruto in his Kyuubi form.

Speaking of which, she watches as they engage in combat, trading blow for blow. The roars and thuds of the battle are deafening as Sakura waits for an opening. She pounds the earth, releasing her signature move, hoping that it would be enough to knock Sasuke back. It is, mostly because he is caught off-guard. He looks at her with warning, daring her to do it again. She grins and does it, because she has finally caught up to him, and he isn't leaving her behind this time.

* * *

"Are you done yet?" Sasuke's voice is impatient as he waits.

"Almost," says Sakura, wiping the blood of her hands.

He is watching her unleash her other talents on Naruto's broken body. Even the Kyuubi's accelerated healing required some guidance now and then. Sakura concentrates too hard to notice that Sasuke has begun to cough blood. She only looks up when he slumps forward, jarring her shoulder. Eyes widening in alarm, she begins to push her healing chakra into his body, pulling everything together in a few minutes.

She pulls both bodies onto her back and begins to run in a peculiar chakra-enhanced gait. She has a few hours to go, and she really hopes that both men would make it. She knows that Sasuke might resent her for saving him; after killing his brother, he declared that he was ready to die. Even so, Sakura does not let him go, because even if he leaves her behind, she will always run after him.

* * *

"Are you done yet?" Sasuke's voice is impatient as he waits.

"Almost," says Sakura, wrapping the bandages around Sasuke's arm.

He wasn't supposed to be injured; he was supposed to be dead. It was the fault of the woman standing beside him. He supposes he could be grateful, except for the feeling that he had been denied something. He wants to push her away and watch her fall, but he thinks that she might break with another touch. She was always fragile, and he had always been pushing and hitting and shoving her away. Yet, she was strong enough to hold onto something of his, and she had never let go. Not even once.

He waits for her to leave, and is puzzled when she doesn't. Instead, she grabs his hand and begins sobbing into it like there is no tomorrow. Sakura is too desperate to consider her actions, and she feels like she just needs release from her woes for a bit. It was enough that Sasuke was ok, and she needed to confirm that he was really there with her.

"Are you done yet?" Sasuke's voice is impatient as he waits.

"Yes," says Sakura, and she has finally caught up.

* * *

_Yeah…that was…the end. XD_

_Anyway, please review!_


End file.
